The Legislature hereby finds and declares:
(a) The demand for recreation areas, facilities, and programs in California is far greater than the present supply, with the number of people who cannot be accommodated at the area of their choice or any comparable area increasing rapidly.
(b) The demand for recreation areas, facilities, and programs in the urban areas of our state are even greater: over 90 percent of the present population of California reside in urban areas; there continues to be approximately a 30-percent deficiency in open-space and recreation areas in the metropolitan areas of the state; less urban land is available, costs are escalating, and competition for land is increasing; and lack of sufficient annual operating funds has resulted in a general deterioration of existing facilities.
(c) There is a high concentration of urban social problems in California’s major metropolitan areas which can be partially alleviated by increased recreational opportunities.
(d) Within the urban areas there reside a broad spectrum and heavy concentration of special populations, including senior citizens, physically and emotionally handicapped, chronic and “new” poor, single parents, “latchkey children,” and minorities, who typically are unable, because of a variety of limiting circumstances, to avail themselves of use of remote, nonurban state and national parks and open spaces.
(e) The upward spiral in the cost of energy for private automobiles and all forms of public transportation during the recent period has further limited access to remote state and national parks and open spaces, and this provides an additional emphasis to the urgent need for close-to-home urban parks and open spaces.
(f) The need for local recreation areas, facilities, and programs is doubling at 10-year intervals.
(g) Unless the lands and waters that currently have significant recreation potential today are acquired or reserved for recreation as soon as possible, and unless there is a means available to provide a regularized, major rehabilitation program for existing facilities, there will be a marked shortage of recreation lands and waters on a local and regional basis.
(h) Cities, counties, and districts must exercise constant vigilance to see that the recreation lands and facilities they now have are not lost to other uses; they should acquire additional lands as such lands become available; and they should take steps to improve the facilities they now have.
(i) The state recognizes its partnership role with local government agencies and officials, in support of acquisition, development, and major rehabilitation of parks and open spaces in urbanized areas and heavily urbanized areas, as a means of fulfilling state support, and a proper level of response to the overwhelmingly large percentage of state residents whose parks and open-space needs can only be addressed in urban settings.
(j) The state further recognizes that every effort is necessary and appropriate to find and utilize resources, other than those secured exclusively through tax levies, in order to support and maintain this significant urban program.
(k) In view of the foregoing, the Legislature declares that an aggressive, coordinated, funded program for meeting existing and projected local recreation demands must be implemented without delay.
(Amended by Stats. 1984, Ch. 1748, Sec. 2.)
Last modified: October 25, 2018